Tommy Dorfman is just one of the many breakout stars to come out of 13 Reasons Why, but that has only given the actor a clearer direction as to what he wants to do for the rest of his career. The Netflix show has gotten a ton of attention, and not all of it has been positive due to the incredibly serious topics it covers such as bullying, suicide, and self-harm and Tommy opened up about how being on the show has impacted him forever during his interview with DA MAN magazine.

But telling a story as complex as this one has only inspired Tommy, who plays poet Ryan Shaver in the show, to only focus on roles going forward that have a deep meaning and are impactful.

“This is my first ever acting job really. I’ve never done a movie, so I want to do that. I hope for a season two. I’d love to develop a TV show as well since I’ve always loved good TV. But basically, at the end of the day, I want to do meaningful work that I’m proud of – whether only 3 people see it or 300,000,000.”

“It’s changed my work ideals in that I’m not longer interested in meaningless work. By that, I mean I want to continue to be a part of shows and movies that actually have a purpose,” he said.

There is also a lot of responsibility that comes from playing a role like this and says that he hopes he helps his new found fans in some way by simply being who he is.

“I love my new fans. I feel like, almost overnight, and this is weird to say about myself, I’ve become a queer advocate without even meaning to. Just being myself publicly. Because of our show, and the stories we tell, I feel a great sense of responsibility to our fans and viewers. I’m a people pleaser, and I want to help everyone who DM’s me, so I make sure to promote organizations that fans can reach out to if they’re struggling.”

It is incredible how the show is not only impacting the lives of the viewers but also the stars themselves, and it is refreshing to see such an eclectic and talented group of individuals vow to only be part of things that can effect change in others.